FTTP-why do I need a Smarthub 2 when my phone already connects to the Openreach Fibre interface box

[PaulM47]

Is anyone familiar enough with the technical aspects of BTs operations to answer the following :

I have FTTP with a battery backed Openreach fibre interface box and a Smarthub 6. My phone is connected to the Openreach fibre interface box (Tel1) and already uses VOIP on the fibre. I've been sent a Smarthub 2 and BT are now pestering me to replace the Smarthub 6 so I can be transferred to 'Digital Voice'.

My problem is I've connected the Smarthub 2 and found I cannot separate the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, as discussed in several other places on these forums. For my networking needs it is essential I can do this or I have a major configuration problem with my home networks.

Do I actually NEED to replace the Smarthub 6 with the Smarthub 2 ? The Smarthub 6 meets all my needs and my phone is connected directly to the Openreach fibre interface. Is this phone interface being disabled and replaced with 'Digital Voice' ? I have no problem with WiFi and have no need for the WiFi mesh disks or any other 'improved' facilities provided by the Smarthub 2.

Regards

PaulM

[Keith_Beddoe]

Is this phone interface being disabled and replaced with 'Digital Voice' ?

Yes, it is being disabled very soon, and is being replaced by the phone port on the SH2.

[imjolly]

The connection on ONT is being superseded by digital voice and you must use the SH2 which acts as a dect base station

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

You currently have FVA ( fibre voice access ) , this is no longer a supported telephony product , and eventually any ‘legacy’ BT customers on FVA will have to move to DV ( digital voice ) if they want to remain a BT Telephony customer, DV is only delivered via the SH2 telephone port  , not the phone port of the ONT, in fact the ONT’s that Openreach have been installing for quite some time don’t have a phone port anymore ….basically if you don’t need the DV , don’t use the SH2, but if you do want the supplied DV telephone service , the SH2 is the only way to access it, although other VoIP providers can provide a telephone service without using the SH2.

[PaulM47]

Amazingly fast responses, thank you very much.

If I cancel my phone service, I don't actually use it much, is there any reason why I shouldn't continue to use the Smarthub 6, or is that being phased out as well ?

Regards

PaulM

[Les-Gibson]

There was a post from another user recently who had cancelled his landline because he didn't use it, now he wants to use the BT Wholesale checker to test his broadband connection and has found that he can't because it requires a telephone number and he no longer has one.

Edit.

Sorry, I got the detail wrong but the gist of it is just the same. See Re: How am I supposed to use the Broadband status ... - BT Community for detail

[PaulM47]

Thanks, I've just investigated this and a phone number appears to be required for the 'Advanced Diagnostics' but not the basic speed test. I've used this in the past to find copper line faults, not sure if it would apply to FTTP, but worth bearing in mind.
Regards
PaulM